A very long while ago, I wrote about how much I hoped for “normal” this time around.  And at 29 weeks, I must say that my wish has been granted for the most part.

We moved when I was just out of the first trimester and while finding and getting set up with a new OB was a bit of a hassle, my new doctor is very nice and was very supportive of my desire to try to have a VBAC this time around, assuming everything is looking good when I get close to my due date. While I’m happy to have a repeat cesarean section if necessary, I can’t help but put a lot of hope on a successful VBAC. Finn and Elliot will be just under two years old when Baby 3 is born and won’t really understand what’s happening. The idea of me not being able to pick them up or let them crawl on my lap for snuggles makes me really motivated for the VBAC. I think if they were a little older and had a better concept of a new baby, an owie, etc. I wouldn’t be so set on this path, but I feel like the (hopefully–fingers crossed) easier and shorter recovery would make the transition a little easier on Elliot and Finn.

I had my anatomy scan at 21 1/2 weeks.  Everything with the baby looked good, but they didn’t get all the shots they needed. My OB noted that my placenta was a little low at just over 2 cm, but that it was still far enough away right now to not be considered a problem. He said there was plenty of time for it to move up. I’ve read several threads on the boards about placentas that moved up over time, so I didn’t think anything at all about it.

I had another ultrasound at 26 1/2 weeks to try and snag the views that baby boy refused to give last time. Again, everything with the baby looked perfect. It’s such a relief to be able to just enjoy an ultrasound and not worry about whether the baby is okay! I love being “boring.” In my appointment after the ultrasound concluded, my OB said the only concern was . . . my blasted placenta. It is now measuring about 1.75 cm away from the cervix, putting me in the range that could lead to a required c-section if it doesn’t move its sweet self higher. He again assured me that there was still plenty of time for it to move up and that I would have a follow up scan in a few weeks to see where it’s at. He wasn’t particularly concerned and didn’t give me any restrictions, but did caution me that if I had any bright red spotting to call him.

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While I hadn’t worried at all before about the placenta moving, this time it gave me pause.  In 4 weeks, it hadn’t moved up at all.  In fact, it arguably moved closer to the cervix.  I say arguably because after our last pregnancy, I’m all too familiar with the idea that ultrasounds are only so precise and just provide estimates. Over the last few weeks since my appointment, I’ve consulted my old frenemy, Google, about low-lying placentas. Most of the information is reassuring. Women had low-lying placentas at their anatomy scan. They had a follow up scan sometime around 30-34 weeks. All was well. I also discovered that having a prior C-section decreases the chance of the placenta moving up. There’s still a good chance it will, but that’s one factor that might work against me. I can’t help but shake this nagging feeling that because it hadn’t moved at all in 4 weeks, it probably won’t move in another few weeks. I tend to focus on the bad, though, so I’m really trying to be positive and send lots of move-your-sweet-self-higher vibes to the ol’ placenta.

So, while I’m basking in my plain, boring, normal pregnancy, I’ve come to the realization that my placentas are just attention hungry! The first placenta had to take care of two babies and therefore got lots of attention, pictures, and conversations. The second one, like a stereotypical second child, had to do something to get some attention of its own!

If you had a low-lying placenta, did it move up? If so, when did you find out it had moved?